DEFENDERS OF THE FAITH  RETURN!

by Tom Lounges

With “Demolition,” their first studio album in nearly five years, Judas Priest is “hell bent” to teach the crop of “Nu-Metal” groups that have sprung up in their absence, what real heavy metal is all about. 

 “We’re all quite proud of this new album,” chirped bassist Ian Hill.  “Being out on tour as long as we were (all of ‘98), gave us time to bond musically and personally with (vocalist) Tim [Owens].  I think this record reflects that bonding.  It shows how Tim has grown as a singer.  He’d just come to the band when we did ‘Jugulator.’  He did a great job on that album of course, but he’d really  just been thrown into the middle of things with that one.  With this album, Tim had a lot more input into the songs and he was able to approach the songs his way and get his own sound.  ‘Demolition’ sounds more even and more solid than anything we’ve done in years.” 

Judas Priest!  Their name itself sounds like a expletive.  And their music has always been the aural equivalent of such, with its screaming dual guitar onslaught courtesy of Kenny (K.K.) Downing and Glenn Tipton, chunky bass line from Hill, and the thundering drums that since 1989 have been beaten into submission by American Scott Travis.     

In 1995, Tim “Ripper” Owens, who is a full twenty years younger than the youngest of his four seasoned band mates, became the second Yank to invade the J.P. line-up.  He faced a difficult challenge when stepping into the enormous void left by original singer Rob Halford’s sudden 1992 departure.    

Few thought the mighty Priest could recover from the loss of their enigmatic, leather-clad frontman. By recruiting a unknown kid from a Cleveland-based Judas Priest tribute band rather than one of the more established vocalists who had auditioned, proved in hindsight, to be a very wise move.   

It attracted so much media attention that it inspired a major motion picture (“Rock Star”), which in turn generated even more ink on the band, which then helped to re-launch their career.   “Everyone was waiting to see if the kid was going to crash and burn or if he could cut it,” said Hill.  “There was a lot of attention and pressure on him.” 

Choosing Owens was wise artistically as well as in a marketing sense.  It gave the aging band a young voice that could faithfully deliver their established Halford-era hits and keep the old fans happy.  It also gave them a hungry young singer who would aspire to land hits as big or bigger than those of his predecessor.  

The move worked. With Owens commanding the microphone, their 1997 album, “Jugulator,” landed the surprised band a Grammy nomination.  

Ignited by the incendiary single, “Burn In Hell,” that CD and the world tour which followed, proved to all nay-sayers that a new Priest was in the pulpit preaching the metal gospel. 

Then just as the message that a new era had begun was being sledge-hammered into the skulls of their fans, Priest seemed to fall off the face of the earth.  The lengthy gap was due in part to Tipton’s father taking ill and eventually dying. 

  “It has been a while,” remarked Tipton, noting the fans’ impatience for the band’s 13th career album, “and I am sorry.  People tend to miss the fact that you are not only a musician, but a human with a life outside of the group and that sometimes that life has to take a priority for a while.”   

Like their fans, Owens hated the long period of down time. “I succeeded on the first tour and everything was working out really well. Then all of a sudden I was just sitting around picking my ass,” he laughed. “Everyone in the band felt the same. It was unfortunate that it took so long, but sometimes things happen and you just have to deal with those things.” 

Adding to the delay was the group’s search for a new record label, explained Hill.  They had parted ways with Columbia when Halford dropped out.  “Jugulator” and “‘98 Live Meltdown!”, a live CD culled from their historic 1998 comeback tour, had been released by CMC International, with whom they apparently were not too happy.  They ultimately landed at Atlantic. 

“Demolition” may have fresh flavoring thanks to the presence of a young turk like Owens, but it still employs plenty of “old school” approach.  “I think people know what to expect from Priest by now.  They know we don’t jump on trends nor stray too far.  With ‘Lost And Found’ and ‘Close To You,’ this album is more subtle and melodic than “Jugulator,” making it more like (our) older albums.  “Jugulator” slammed from start to finish.”   

 “There is some light and shade here,” agrees Tipton.  “It’s got modern tracks like ‘Machine Man’ and ‘Metal Messiah’,” but also classic tracks like ‘Close To You’ and ‘Lost And Found’ and some tracks that fall in between.  There’s quite a bit of diversity, but when you view “Demolition” as a whole, it’s classic Priest only evolved a little bit.”

 Owens also seems to like “Demolition” more. “Actually, ‘Jugulator’ was already written by the time I joined the band,” he said.  “Those songs were written for who ever ended up being the new singer in Priest. Glenn wrote these songs for me and with my vocals in mind.  I got to bring a lot into it this time around.” 

 “I’m already looking forward to the next album,” said Tipton.  “The thing with Tim is that his voice is so versatile, he has such a range and is so talented.  There are areas of his voice that are still untapped!  His voice is just a fantastic tool to work with.”   

Until then, fans can enjoy the powerful new 134-minute, dual layer DVD –– “Live In London!” –– which contains backstage footage, interview snippets done at sound checks and a full 19 career-spanning songs taped during their December 19,  2001 concert at The Brixton Academy in London.   

There are also newly remastered versions of the classic Priest albums –– “British Steel,” “Point Of Entry,” “Screaming For Vengeance,” “Defenders Of The Faith,” “Sin After Sin,”  “Stained Glass,” “Hell Bent For Leather” and “Unleashed In The East (Live In Japan)” –– now in stores.  Each newly re-released CD features bonus songs, new liner notes, lyrics, and new photos.    

As to why Judas Priest is still revered three decades after it’s inception, Tipton concludes ––  “A lot of bands reach a point where they only go through the motions, but we have never lost our deep love affair with heavy metal and Priest music. That’s why we’ve been around so long, because people realize that.” 

Younger fans continue to join Priest’s legions thanks to a high profile of the band’s music.  “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming” was used in a recent Burger King commercial; “Blood Stained” was on the “Bride of Chucky” film soundtrack; “Livin’ After Midnight” surfaced in an episode of “The Simpsons”; and “Turbo Lover” is used in the new Playstation game, “Gran Turismo.”   

Priest has been rocking through Europe since the early Spring and are back rocking their asses off on a major U.S. shed tour.  “The fans will be seeing a lot of us for quite some time,” promised Hill, “because we’ve all had enough down time to last us a while!” 

JUDAS PRIEST will perform on AUGUST 25

at Chicago’s HOUSE OF BLUES

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